


Are You Ready For It?

by DarkAlpha67



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Adorable Barry Allen, Age Difference, Captain Cold/The Flash - Freeform, Compromising, Confident Barry Allen, Flirting, Implied Caitlin Snow/Mick Rory, Implied Sara Lance/Leonard Snart - Freeform, Killer Frost & The Flash, Legend!Leonard, Legend!Mick, Len never went after Cisco and Caitlin, Leonard Snart Lives, M/M, Mention of Child Abuse, Mention of Sara Lance - Freeform, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Nicknames, Relationship Problems, Saints & Sinners (The Flash TV 2014), Sam The Crook, Secret Relationship, Some Altered Scenes, Though the Age Difference isn't touched on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 11:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17243699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAlpha67/pseuds/DarkAlpha67
Summary: Barry had no idea what he was doing. He knew this was stupid, beyond stupid but the soft coaxing lips and the sweet tongue that stroked and tangled with his with such care had him forgetting about the rationality of this.*Barry entered into a relationship with Leonard Snart and slowly his moral compass starts spinning as he tries to work out how to be the Flash while dating Captain Cold (Or at least, he thinks they're dating).* My first Coldflash fic*





	Are You Ready For It?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Everyone! This is my first Coldflash fanfic and is inspired by Taylor Swifts "... Ready For It?" and though I have been reading and shipping them for years, I never wrote one which was weird. This story has been in the works since that song came out, and after some writer's blocks and paranoia that my characterization wasn't authentic enough, I finally finished it.
> 
> I hope you all like it. <3
> 
> P.S. I don't really follow Flash but I started following Legends for a while during season 1 so forgive me some things are different (Check end notes for those things). Also, any and all mistakes are my own. I have read over this a couple of times and after a while the words started blending together and it became harder to pick those things up.

Barry had no idea what he was doing. He knew this was stupid, beyond stupid but the soft coaxing lips and the sweet tongue that stroked and tangled with his with such care had him forgetting about the rationality of this.

He moaned and sighed as those strong hands ran up his body, leaving a burning trail in his wake as he moved to shove that offending jacket of Barry’s shoulders. He hated to let go, but Barry reluctantly unwrapped his arms from around this gorgeous man’s neck to shrug out of his clothes.

“This is a bad idea.” He found himself whispering against salty lips. He flashed back to the three shots they had shared not an hour ago. “This is a really, really bad idea.”

He felt those lips move as the man nodded. A huff of heated air brushed against his bruised lips. “Still time to turn around and run.”

Barry rolled his eyes at the pun and pulled back to give him a look. “How can you still have half a mind to make those terrible puns?”

“My arousal doesn’t make me incoherent, Barry.”

Something warm flooded him, pooling in the pit of his stomach at the sound of his name leaving those lips. It was always Flash, never _Barry_. It sounded sweet, like a caress.

“I can tell. Why are you still talking? That is not what your mouth should be doing.”

A deep, throaty laugh filled the heated air. Barry felt it against his own body where he remained pressed up the lean, muscular form.

“As you wish, Scarlet.” Leonard quipped with a cocky smirk.

Lips captured his in a soul twisting, insides keening, kiss. Barry grasped the side of the older man’s face, pulling him closer, wrapping his arm around his waist, tightening his hold to secure him.

There was a swish. The lamp that had once stood perfectly on the table beside the couch, swung from side to side before it ultimately tilted to the left and fell, smashing to pieces on the ground.

 

*

 

Barry fell back onto the bed, his chest heaving, glistening with sweat as he panted to catch his breath. A tingling wave of pleasure coursed through him and he basked in its soothing sensation. He knew within a few minutes this goo-y feeling in the pit of his stomach would be practically non-existent but he didn’t want it to fade, not yet.

It’s been so long since he’d been with anyone and now that he was, his stupid powers which had its pro’s and con’s, this being the biggest con, would ruin it. He hated it so much. He remembered a time when he’d pass out from sheer exhaustion after a long night with someone but now, not even so much as a yawn.

The bed shifted and creaked, the left side sinking in. Barry opened his eyes, his breathing having evened out, and felt his dopey smile growing when icy blue eyes, ever so soft, stared down at him. He lazily ran his eyes over the bare exposed skin, taking in the perfect physic.

“Do you work out?” Barry blurted out. He was too sated to care much so he simply continued to take in Leonard Snart. He stared for a beat at the tattoo of two Phoenixes. A blood red one, in the midst of taking off it appeared, with a small in size black one before it. Their long tails formed into vein like strings, the design appearing very inky.

He wanted to ask about it but he bite down on his tongue and moved on. He saw the small random nicks of healed cuts, white strips of raised skin from a previous injury. Heated skin met his fingers tips and Barry belatedly realized he had been stroking the skin that his eyes fell on.

Leonard shifted, draping his entire body over his. Barry bit back the gasp, lodging it in his throat. He stared up, watching almost hypnotized as the older man leaned down and pressed their lips together. Barry opened his mouth instinctively, sinking further into the bed at the sweetness of the kiss. It was slow and perfect. Fingers tangled themselves through the messy strands on the top of his head, tilting his head back. Lips left his, moving to attack the side of his neck.

Barry groaned at the sting when Leonard nipped at the sensitive skin, feeling the current rush through his body, waking everything within him. He felt himself getting hard once more and Leonard thrusted down, the pleasurable friction igniting a throaty moan from the young speedster.

Hot air brushed against his ear as Leonard whispered hoarsely. “Round Two?”

“God, yes.”

 

*

 

It was a stupid idea. A stupid idea that Barry could not stop thinking about doing again. The hickies had faded long before he walked out of Leonard’s safe house and sped home, so there was no physical evidence of their night together but Barry felt it, the ghost of the thief’s touch and the imprint of his lips…

He had hoped his work would be enough of a distraction and it had worked for the first hour. He got lost in the science and the research and then his other life called him in and he was back in his red suit, working on the new meta-case.

The moment he heard it was a robbery he had stopped thinking, heck he even stopped breathing as dread filled him, because really?

 _He_ couldn’t even wait a day after they slept together before clashing their two lives together once again.

Barry had tried his hardest not to think of it as him sleeping with Captain Cold. He ignored the fact that he had entered a known criminal’s safe house, slept in the bed of a convicted felon. To him, they were just Barry Allen and Leonard Snart. Two men who have known each other for months and who had finally decided to act on the attraction between them.

Turned out, it wasn’t Captain Cold at all, but a guy who had the power to travel through solid matter.

Cisco and Caitlin worked hard to find some solution to catch this Meta because if this man who Caitlin discovered was named James Jones, but who they dubbed ‘Matter Man’, got trapped within the solid walls he was moving through, it would kill him. It was easy enough in the general sense, but Cisco explained that it didn’t really matter if they could catch him because it was all about the timing, which had Barry worried the most.

In the end they had to put James into an induced coma before Barry could take him back to Star Labs. After some interrogation, it was discovered that James had a baby sister who he had recently been granted custody of but he needed the money to support her financially.

As Barry listened to James, his mind flashed to another brother who too would do just about anything for his sister. He stayed long enough at Star Labs, until he couldn’t remain still much longer. After bidding Caitlin and Cisco a good night, Barry took off.

As he entered the darkened bar, the bustling sounds of laughter and conversational voices soothed his jittery inside as he looked around. He felt like an idiot for not staying away when he knew it was the smart thing to do. As he eyed the hunched over form sitting in the furthest booth, cloaked in the shadows, he told himself that this was a public bar. He was here for a drink and the fact that Leonard was now only a few steps away had nothing to do with him being here whatsoever.

“Mind if I join you?” Barry asked for the sake of it as he slid into the booth, facing the stoic man before him.

With a plate of fries on his table, Leonard remained silent as he reached over to dip one fry into the tiny blob of ketchup on the side of his plate. Slowly he lifted it to his mouth, and just as his teeth sunk into the striped potato, icy blue eyes flicked up. Barry swallowed, forcing himself not to react.

As he chewed, his eyes remained fixed on the speedster. It was a penetrative stare, the eyes holding intimate knowledge of their chosen focus. Had this been anyone else, Barry would have been a squirming mess, blurting and stuttering his way toward a comprehendible sentence but not with Snart.

Maybe it was because he had been the Flash before Barry Allen in Leonard’s eyes. He had been the superhero to his comic book villain, maybe that’s why Barry always felt so confident when he was around the older man.

He spoke boldly and he never hid within himself. It was refreshing and maybe that’s why he ended up in bed with Leonard last night. Because he could be himself and be more than who he was already perceived to be.

“I heard the Flash saved the day, once again.” Leonard drawled out, his pale pink lips tugging up into a smirk.

Taking a risk, Barry reached over and snatched two of Leonard’s fries, plopping it into his mouth before answering. “Keeping track of me?”

“More like surveillance of the opposition.”

Barry rolled his eyes, noting the small forward shift Leonard gave the plate as he continued to eat. Seconds later two amber bottles were placed before them and before Barry could tell the server he hadn’t ordered anything, the tall blonde was walking away.

After a moment’s contemplation, Barry shrugged and twisted the cap open, mirroring Leonard as he took a long pull of his own beer. Snart’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed, the long slope of his neck accentuating the movement even further.

“So,” Barry sounded out, placing the bottle down beside him. “Our bad guy was a robber.”

“Hmm” Leonard simply hummed.

“And…” Barry licked his lips nervously. “He got me thinking about you.”

Blue eyes shot up.

Barry continued. “You see, he has this sister. He was actually stealing for her, to support her and take care of her, you know. Said he knew it was stupid but he didn’t see any other way. That she had no one but him.”

A fry got dipped into ketchup and was popping into an open mouth. Leonard chewed slowly and silently, regarding Barry with a bored like expression yet the intensity behind his gaze told another story.

“And how does this pertain to me? Besides the obvious?”

Barry shrugged, “just got me thinking about how much you do for your sister. And how long you have had to do those things…”

“I have no regrets.”

“I know.” He nodded. “I just felt like telling you.” _And seeing you…_

Leonard smirked at him and gave a heavy nod. Silently he pushed the plate forward completely, offering them to Barry who took them gladly. As he munched on the salty fries, he allowed his eyes to wonder around the bar. Its dark atmosphere gave it a very secretive air, like a place that held many untold stories and in some ways he guess that was true. The people who came here all had a past just like him and just like Leonard. He paused momentarily when he noticed a group of biker looking men pointing toward their table. Their bodies were angled together, making it clear Barry or Leonard was the topic of their discussion.

“Uh, you are aware that you have a few eyes on you, right?”

“They know better than to do anything.”

“Friends or enemies of yours?” Barry asked, curious.

He found it strange that Leonard was openly engaging in a conversation with him, answering his pointless questions without missing a beat. He loved the momentarily lapse of their usual thing.

“I don’t have friends,” Leonard replied.

Frowning, Barry tossed the older man a particular look. “So what would you call me?”

Just as the question passed his lips, his felt his heart squeeze with anticipating as to what the answer would be. He held his breath, mentally cursing himself for opening that can of worms.

“An intimate acquaintance.”

He felt his cheeks heat up. Leonard stared at him with a stern expression, giving nothing way yet enforcing the seriousness behind his statement. It wasn’t said as a form of flirtation and Barry heard the questioning tone at the end.

He knew, somehow, that Leonard’s look was him asking Barry for his input in the title and when the speedster did nothing other than eat a fry, it seemed to answer Leonard’s unasked question.

“Finish up.” He said, patting the table as though to prompt Barry to do just that. “My bike is parked just outside.”

And that was all Barry needed.

 

*

 

It became a regular occurrence. One cold, lonely night, Barry found himself in Leonard’s bed. He didn’t question the status of their relationship. He let everything go when he was with the other man, choosing to live in the moment which had become damn near impossible to do since he’d been struck by lightning.4

Everything faded when he was with Leonard. He felt the weight on his shoulders ease, he felt that ever present knot in his gut loosen as worry and fear slipped into the back of his mind and all there was were feverish kisses, thrusting bodies and aching, needy moans shared between them.

Barry had assumed this would be a part of his life that had be kept behind closed doors. He knew there was no way Leonard would ever allow him to infiltrate his life and would rather freeze himself than try and fit in with Barry’s friends and family.

“We are two different people, Barry, living two very separate lives. No one would understand this and you and I both know we’d never be able to make it work in the real world.”

But they were… right?

They had come to some form of truce, where Barry would allow Leonard to do his heists as long as he didn’t murder anyone and Leonard kept Barry’s identity a secret. They had come to a compromise, it was a morbid one that Barry refused to dwell upon much, so why couldn’t they do that with regards to their new and strange ‘acquaintanceship’.

Soft lips brushed against his ear and the firm muscular arm wrapped around his waist tightened and pulled him closer. “Are you planning to leave?”

Barry huffed, blindly reaching down to where Len’s hand rested sprawled across his stomach to intertwine their fingers, burrowing further into the embrace, eyes firmly closed.

The chest pressed against his back vibrated as Leonard chuckled. “The sun will be up soon, Red.”

“Shh, don’t talk.” Barry muttered sleepily.

A sweet kiss was placed behind his ear that had him sighing and leaning back, pressing himself up against Len.

Barry told himself that they would work it out later, but right now he was with Len and he didn’t want the outside world invading their safe haven. He repeated the sentiment much later as he leaned over to peck Len goodbye, his heart fluttering at the smile that formed on the other man’s lips as Barry pulled away.

“Be seeing you, Barry.”

 

*

 

Rip walked into Leonard’s life two days later and Barry was left behind in a past too far away to reach.

 

>COLDFLASH<

 

Leonard Snart lived a calculated life. He’d lost control over his life when he was a kid, when he’d been nothing more than a punching back for his father’s anger and a tool for his Lewis’ heists. The day he had escaped from that brutal life, left Juvi with an arrest to his name, a criminal record that would make it difficult for him to provide the life he’d wished for his sister, Leonard started planning.

He used the skills he’d been gifted with to make a name for himself. He worked it so Lisa was taken care of, aligned himself with people whom he knew would have his back and partnered with a man that not only had that same moral compass as himself but wouldn’t hesitate to be there for Lisa. His crushing fear toward his father came to end when Len iced the bastard’s heart, knowing he would never darken a day in Lisa’s life.

He had everything planned. And then, the impossible became possible, in the form of a speedster who pushed human limits on a daily basis. A man who wore the brightest smile and lightest eyes after having been through his own version of hell.

Len was marveled by this amazing contradiction as he watched Barry bend over a pool table, readying to take a shot. Three other bikers were standing beside him, all eyes on the balls as Barry drew back and shot. They watched the white ball clink with the 8 ball, the sound louder even with the music in the background.

Cheers erupted from a few of Barry’s supporters and the tall, lanky man grinned and shook hands with Blake. The blond bearded man huffed, uncrossing his thick tattooed covered arms slowly as if to intimidate Barry into loss, before clasping his hand firmly.

Barry seemed unaffected by the obvious display of testosterone and Leonard would go so far as to say appeared amused by the whole thing. Green eyes sought his and Leonard tipped his head in congrats.

Eight months… 10 years… however long you look at it, it felt like an eternity since Leonard had seen Barry Allen before his very eyes. He hadn’t left a note to explain his abrupt departure, nor did he notify Barry of his return.

He had no idea how long he would be staying anyway, and for all he knew, Barry could be with someone else… a brown eyed, dark haired journalist coming to mind in that wonderment.

“Your boy?” A deep, rough voice said into his ear.

Len turned around, cold blue eyes falling on Ryder. He was a local thief who mostly stole for the high of it, going so far as to doing jobs for other’s at the right price. Years back when he was new to the game, Ryder had offered his services to Len but one look at the guy had Leonard declining on the spot. Ryder was good at his job, there was no denying that but the guy cared about one thing only and that was himself, and with Len and his crew, that should be the last thing on your list of priorities.

“What’s it to you?” Len asked.

Ryder’s dark eyes fell on Barry and the corner of his lips curled up in disapproval as he watched Barry give another guy a playful shove.

“He a new member or something?”

Leonard, lifting his half empty beer bottle to his lips, casually took a pull. He swallowed slowly, turning his head to look at Ryder with little interest. “Now, why would my business be any of yours?”

“He seems kinda young to be hanging with you… Innocent too.” Ryder voiced, his tone dripping with implication.

Brown eyes swam with the underlying of a possible threat and Leonard forced his lips to tug up into a cool smile. He let his shoulders drop, his body naturally falling into the persona he’d been before the Legends, ‘the cold-hearted bastard’ as Sara once called him.

“I get that a lot, actually.” A bright voice said behind Leonard. A warm body brushed against his as long finger’s came into view and Leonard easily handed his beer over. “My youthful face tricks just about anyone I meet.”

The corner of Leonard lips lift into an amusement smirk when Ryder’s eyes shifted to Barry standing behind him, his dark eyes tracing every inch of him. A dangerous glint sparked in Ryder’s eyes and Leonard forced himself not to react, trusting Barry while he was clearly channeling ‘Sam the Crook’.

“What’s up, I’m Sam.”

_There it is…_

“Sam?” Ryder repeated. “Never heard of you.”

“Hmm, I could say the same about you.” Came the sarcastic quip.

Excitement ignited within Len at the confidence he heard in Barry’s tone. Rarely does he hear it but when he did, it caused a rush of arousal to course through him. No one could say Barry wasn’t the clichéd version of a science nerd. He stuttered, he stumbled and he scrambled his way through life, using science as a shield and facts as a defense.

It was what had drawn Len to him in the first place. The brightness of his soul… The way he saw the world and how he dealt with whatever it threw his way.

Now, as he watched Ryder’s attempt to have a stare down with Barry, he waited once again for Barry to prove to Ryder to never underestimate him as he did with anyone and everyone he met who claimed to know him based on his image alone.

“I’ll see you around, Snart.” Ryder said, his eyes flickering over to Len for a moment before returning to Barry. “Sam.”

They watched as the man walked away from them, shoulders set back and spine shot straight.

A hot breath fanned against the shell of Len’s ear. “Think I intimidated him?”

“Definitely.” Len turned his head, the tip of his nose brushing against Barry’s. Soft green eyes were inches from his and he could smell the beer scented breath brush against his lips.

Casually, Barry lifted the beer bottle for Len who took it without a word and together the two moved to lean side by side against the counter. The length of Barry’s bend up arm pressing against Len’s and he made sure not to move an inch away from the touch.

“I didn’t think you’d show.” Barry said after a while. “I mean, when Jax and Professor Stein came to pop in, I was a bit shocked to hear you’d been with them, travelling through time… being a hero.”

“ _’Playing hero_ ’.” Len corrected spitefully. He knew very well where Barry was going with that line and he wasn’t about to make it easy for him. “Mick and I figured this was a better way to get our hands on valuable merchandises.”

Barry’s head snapped over to him, green eyes widening. “You went with the Legends to steal better?”

A cool smirked formed on Len’s lips and he remained silent.

Rolling his eyes, Barry sighed, those expressive eyebrows dropping along with his shoulders. Len could see the waging battle of doubt and certainty and he refused to be the winning voice. He had no idea what life Barry had made for himself in Len’s absents and if there was a chance that Len could help steer Barry away from him, he’d take it.

“You’re still doing that.” Barry commented suddenly.

“Doing what?” Len drawled on in a slightly bored tone.

“Trying to make me see the bad in you by hinting at it with great emphasis.” The brunette said softly, his voice light and traveling right through Len’s ears like a promising echo. “It didn’t work back then, it’s not gonna work now.”

Len brought his beer bottle to his lips and tipped the rest of the contented into his waiting mouth, swallowing it in one go. He didn’t miss the way Barry’s green orbs darkened as they tracked the bobbing of his Adam’s apple.

“You got some place to be, Scarlet?”

Those intoxicating eyes met his and Len saw the instant the hidden message registered.

A grin spread across the younger man’s face. A hand fists the material of his jacket as Len stood up, dropping a bill for his beer before turning around, his body zinging with anticipation and arousal warming his blood.

Barry purposefully aligned their bodies when he straddled Len’s motorbike.

Len was pretty he broke a couple of laws getting to the safe house.

 

*

 

“Barry. We got a problem.” Caitlin’s urgent voice said into his ear. “Cold is back and he’s breaking into Central City’s Artifact Museum.” There was a coolness behind her tone, an echo of Killer Frost.

“What?” Shock struck his heart and it slammed against his chest.

His feet carried him without a second thought, the words _“Cold is back”_ resonating through his mind, repeating itself like a broken record.

Barry didn’t know what to think. He’d left Len passed out in bed last night and even though he hadn’t been focused particularly on Len’s alter-ego, he didn’t think other man would be back in the game this soon after his return. A part of Barry, the rational part, berated him for being so blinded by his feeling for Len that he’d completely forgetting he was in bed with Captain Cold, _a notorious thief_.

Lighting danced around as Barry skidded to a halt outside the building, eyes scanning the length of the monolithic structure. Racing around, he did a quick casing of the area. In disbelief, he flashed inside, stopping a good distance away, proud that he didn’t trip any alarms.

He eyed the three figures from his vantage point.

The second he saw the long hair and badass leather outfit, he felt the need to let Cisco and Caitlin know that Lisa Snart was back on their raider (Mostly Cisco, though). The bulky mass of heavy clothes let him know that Mick had joined Len for his little vacation stay too.

“Hurry up, Snart!” A growling voice ordered.

“Patients, Mick.” Came the cool response.

Lisa snorted, turning to eye Mick with wicked eyes. “Oh, Lenny. I don’t think that’s in Mickey’s vocabulary.”

 _“You just gonna stand there, Barry?”_ Cisco’s voice said into ear. _“We’re picking up four heat signatures.”_

 _“Barry, do we need to call in back-up?”_ Caitlin asked. The back-up being Joe.

“No. I can take them.” With one final inhalation of courage, Barry called out. “Little late to be shopping, don’t you think, Cold?”

Two guns whipped out, the buzzing of Mick Rory’s gun bouncing off the walls as it charged up, ready to fire at any second. He felt a flicker of fear that dissolved the second Len turned around, the fur of his Parka hood obscuring his face but Barry knew that a smirk was playing on the older man’s lips.

“You sure took your time, Flash.” Len drawled out. “Little slow tonight, are we?”

Though Barry could see their fingers curled around the triggers of their respective gun, Mick seemed to be only one considering firing at him (Ha, Firing… Len would be proud). Lisa had a smile flirting on her lips, her shoulders relaxed and her eyes alight with humor.

“You need to leave, Cold.” Barry warned, his voice hardening. “And you can leave the diamond where you found it.”

Rory let loose a growl of frustration. “Let me at him.”

With the diamond in hand, Len cocked his head to the side. “I think Flash is craving for a little cold.” Before he could register his words, a blast of cold missed Barry’s body by an inch, the chill igniting a shiver down the length of side. Barry sped to the right just as another blast was aimed it him. He felt his heart tighten in fear and betrayal, the adrenaline coursing through his system dampening its full effect.

With a shake of the head, Barry stopped on the far east of the Museum, catching Rory and Lisa slipping away from the fight. He made way to go after them when cold air brushed against his back, its chilling temperature shocking him and reducing his speed.

Just as he was about to rush over to stop them, a blaring noise filled the Museum and Barry knew he’d tripped the alarm. In an instant heavy metal gates dropped down before him, around him, caging him in as Len slipped out of his range.

“Thanks for the help, Barry.” Len hollered over his shoulder. Barry spun around, the question on the tip of his tongue as to how he’d _helped_ when he saw the dark material of Len’s jacket vanish around the corner.

 _“Barry, you gotta got out of there. CCPD will be there soon.”_ Caitlin warned him.

With a shuddering breath, Barry vibrated his body, feeling his insides heating. He lost some feeling, yet felt his entire form as he phased through the mental bars, distantly hearing the sound of three motorbikes taking off.

 _“Got eyes on Cold and the diamond. Hurry, Barry.”_ Cisco offered. Barry took off, his mind zoning in on one single mission, blacking out anything else. As he flashed out of the Museum, listening when Cisco said, _“east”_ which had Barry taking a hard right.

The Bike appeared to be standing still, the fur of Len’s coat frozen in time when Barry reached him and before he can think of anything else, Barry wrapped his arms around Len’s waist and ran away, ignoring the Bike as it dropped and skidded down the road with no one to control it and no weight to ground him.

Barry took them to a distant alley, taking a step away when Len was firmly planted on his feet.

“I’m silencing the com.” He said into the air.

_“What? Barry—“_

He pressed against the lightning bolt, cutting Caitlin off. Turning, he glared at Len who’d made himself comfortable, leaning casually against the wall with his cold gun strapped to his hip. The coolness the older man was exuding infuriated Barry further, the lack of an upcoming fight no longer filtering those horrid emotions as they came back full force.

“What the hell, Len?” He hissed out.

Len cocked his head to the side in question. “I have a job, Barry.”

“No, you have a scheduled day to rob someone! You came back here, knowing you were gonna rob a Museum, making me think you came back to see ---“ He stopped himself, the words cutting off before he made himself look more pathetic than he already did.

A wistful sigh escaped the other man. “I did come to see you, Scarlet.”

“And take a diamond.”

“That too.” He nodded, appearing amused. “But mostly you.” Len pushed himself off the wall but made no move to close the distance between himself and Barry. “I didn’t lie to you, Red.”

“Spin it all you want, you know you weren’t being honest with me, that by definition is lying.” Barry swallowed when the familiar burn of overwhelming emotions formed in his throat. “You _shot_ me.”

“I shot _at_ you.” Len corrected. “Big difference.”

Frustration fuelled his actions as he stepped forward. “This isn’t a joke, Snart!”

At the sound his surname, Len visible deflated, the cool aura dissipating. Slowly, he reached out, his hand dropped to sides limply, when Barry jerked back, casting Len a sharp look, warning him not to touch him. Barry glared, hurt by Len’s actions, betrayed by his choices and feeling ashamed that he’d allowed himself to be tricked like this.

“I was not going to hurt, Barry.” Len said, his words softened by the regret evident in his tone. “I was aiming at you, with no desire to actual hit you.” He reached up, drawing his hood back a bit, revealing earnest eyes.

“And I’m supposed to believe you?” He dropped his gaze to Len’s jacket. “Give me the diamond.”

“I don’t have it.”

“What?” Barry’s eyes snapped up, widened in shock. “I saw it in your hand!”

“We made a switch while you were distracted.”

Not believing him, Barry flashed around Len, hands grabbing fits of his jacket, searching for the diamond but coming up empty. He came to a stop before Len who lifted his hands placating.

“I am who I am. You knew this going in, Barry.” Len dropped his hands.

With no case to defend himself against Len’s words, Barry sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He inhaled and exhaled, trying to get a grip of his storming emotions, forcing himself to think about this. He recalled what happened in the Museum, remembering the blasts that chilled his back and sides and admitted to himself that Len wasn’t lying. Barry knew how skilled Len was as a marksman, having personal experience that verified this claim so he knew it was highly unlikely they he would have missed Barry that often.

“You still lied about your reasons for returning to Central.” He voiced.

“I have a reputation to uphold. My little mission with the Legends have not changed me.”

“Bullshit.” Barry snapped back instinctively.

“You have too much faith, Scarlet.” The thief said, the use of Barry’s nickname softening the words so that they almost sounds fond. There was pause, with Barry opening his mouth to respond and Len tensing up, head turning to the left. It a familiar primal gesture that Barry picked up because he did that when Caitlin or Cisco spoke to him. When Len turning his attention back to Barry, he already knew what he was about to say. “I need to leave.”

“What makes you think I’m letting you go?” Barry asked for the sake of asking when both he and Len knew there was no way Barry was taking him into custody.

A small smile formed on Len’s lip and Barry tensed up when the other man took a step closer, entering into Barry’s space. A gloved hand lifted and cupped his cheek. “I’m hoping you don’t.” Soft lips pressed against his, sweet and tender as always. It didn’t last long, was more of touch than a real kiss, but it left Barry felt weightless for a second. “Come to mine at 9, then we can talk. I’ll understand either way.”

The hand vanished and Barry turned, watching with turmoil as Len walked out the alley. The roaring of motorbike cut through the silence and a figure mounting a sleek black Ninja stopped just at the mouth. Len climbed on the back and they vanished a blink later, the purring sound fading the further they got.

He pressed against his ear absentmindedly, voice bombarding the moment he sound.

_“Barry!”_

_“Barry, can you hear us!”_

_“Cisco, he seems fine.”_

_“Cold, just left.”_

_“Crap, Barry!”_

“I’m fine.” He answered them. “I’m coming back now.”

He took off with no glance back, Len’s words echoing through his head. He knew what he meant, knew why Len wanted to meet.

If Barry showed up, it meant he cared about Len’s reasons and wanted to work stuff out and if he didn’t, well it meant the safe house would be vacant if he ever returned there after tonight, no trace of Len having ever been there at all.

 

*

 

He left Star Labs with Caitlin and Cisco casting him sympathetic glances, Barry flashed home to shower and change into clean clothes. As he stood under the burning spray of water, he allowed his mind a momentary lapse in peace and quiet, feeling the tight wounded up knot in his gut easing, the clenched first wrapped around his heart relaxing its hold.

However, the moment he stepped out and as he slipped into a jeans, plain black long sleeved shirt and his tailor made chucks (Thanks, Cisco), questions and various scenarios as to how this night will come to an end raced through his mind, thought after thought after thought.

With a thundering heart powered by anxiety, Barry left the house and walked a good distance away from his neighborhood before he took off, feet carrying him through familiar streets. He stopped before a plain wooden door, his chest heaving as he gulping in air in a futile attempt to calm him down. He wasn’t tired out by the short run, but the entire situation had him taking short breaths.

Lifting a fisted hand, Barry knocked once. He didn’t know if he was allowed to entire, given what had happened so he opted to remain outside, waiting for the invite. There was shuffling on the other end and he heard the thudding of boots even through the door.

The door swung open and icy blues met his. “Did you forget how to enter?”

Swallowing thickly, Barry replied. “I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to.”

Len rolled his eyes, and stepped aside, head cocked to the side as though to encourage him in further. Walking past his lover/he-can’t-believe-he-doesn’t-even-have-a-name-for-them, Barry made his way the couch, sinking down on the plush cushions. The door closed behind him and a moment he saw Len lowering himself onto the couch on the other side from the corner of his eye.

Discretely, Barry ran his hands down his jean clad thighs, wiping away the accumulated sweat. With a deep breath, he turned around, bringing one leg up, bending it at the knee. “You wanted to talk, so talk.”

A smile flickered to life, pulling those soft pale pink lips across his face. Closing his eyes briefly, Len nodded and mirrored Barry’s position, tossing an arm across the back of the couch, laying it to rest on the back length.

“I’m sorry this night happened.” Len said. “And how far I let it get.”

Barry paused, waiting for more but was greeted with silence. “That’s it?”

Len shrugged unapologetically. “I won’t lie to you.”

“Jesus _Christ_!” Barry groaned out, turning around to drop his head into waiting hands. “How can you be so _fucking_ frustrating?” He yelled out, allowing those emotions he’d been forced to get under control forth.

The cushions shifted along with Len. “I am not sorry for who I am, Barry. I am not sorry that I took that diamond.” His voice was clear and calm. “I am sorry, however, that I toyed with you back there. I fell back into our personas as a means to deal with the situation.”

“So maybe I should be speaking to Cold and not you.” Barry shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “God, Len, this is a mess.” He turned his head, green eyes pleading with Len to take this seriously. “You get that, right?”

The other man shifted forward. “Of course, Scarlet. I just don’t know what you want from me here. Do you want me to change because I am not about to do that.” Those cool blue eyes bore into his. They were apologetic and honest.

Barry knew he shouldn’t expect Len to change for him, to drop everything he’d done for him. The other man had made a name for himself, had made something of himself to prove to himself and his abusive father that he was more than a waste of space, more than a tool Lewis Snart could use on one of his own heists. Barry admired that about Len, he’d seen how Len’s courage and intuition had the potential to lead him to a better, less illegally driven life. He still does, but just because he saw the goodness, does not been Len wanted to choose it.

“I know.” He found himself admitting in a whispered tone. “I don’t want you to change either.” He shook his head, letting his confession run through his head, cementing their meaning into the depths of his heart. “I like who you are.”

He watched as Len shifted closer to him, his arm sliding along the back of the couch until he was circling Barry without touching him. “There’s nothing wrong with that, Red.”

“I know that now.” He nodded, smiling sadly. He’d had a moral problem with getting into bed with Captain Cold, he’d berated himself over his stupid actions only to return to Saints & Sinners, seeking the other man out once more. He’d put whatever turmoil he’d had over his decisions in the back of his mind, following his heart in the matter and his heart had led him straight into Leonard Snart’s arms.

“I wish we weren’t the Flash and Captain Cold.” Barry revealed. “Just Barry and Len, you know. Then all this wouldn’t even be a problem.”

“Can’t change the present, Red.”

A snort left him. “I can, actually. If I had to.” He saw Len’s confused expression and playfully pointed to himself. “Time traveler, remember.”

Len smiled. “Ah, of course. Well, maybe we are in some alternate universe.”

“Lucky them.”

“They’re lives must be boring though. Very vanilla.”

A laugh bubbled up from him at Len’s disgust at the very thought, the tension leaving his shoulders. He straightened up and leaned back into the couch, leaning his head against Len’s hand. The other man followed his lead and Barry gladly accepted the embrace, dropping a hand onto his thigh.

“We need a plan, don’t we?” Barry asked, eyes fixed on a beautiful painting of a ship adrift on the ocean. He traced the gentle strokes of various shades of blue, loving the way they blended together to mimic the current of the sea.

“Plans never work.” Len retorted.

“Well, we need something if we’re gonna continue being Len and Barry as well as the Flash and Captain Cold.”

There was a pause and the hand next his face shifted. Len brushed his knuckles against Barry’s cheek affectionately, drawing his eyes back to the man sitting beside him. “Is that you’re way of saying you want to continue this?”

Biting the bottom of his lip in consideration, he thought about, _really_ thought about it. Beside his belief regarding his father’s innocence and his choice to become the Flash, Barry had never really been sure about something. The kind of sure where no doubt could overshadow his choice. That’s how he felt about his relationship with Len and his wanting to continue it. He felt something for Len, it wasn’t love just yet but Barry knew with time it would be.

“Yeah.” He turned, raising his eyebrows. “You?”

As an answer a bare warm hand cupped his cheek and gentle lips captured his. Barry parted his lips willingly, returning the kiss with as much emotion as he could without shifting the pace. He flicked his tongue over Len’s bottom lip, dipping in for a taste when Len granted him access. A moan left him and Len teased his lips with his teeth before pulling slowly away.

“That wasn’t an answer.” Barry quipped. “Verbal consent in very important in a relationship.”

“ _Yes,_ Barry.” Len said with great exasperation.

He chuckled in amusement, his smiling growing when he heard Len’s light laugh too. “You know, we could work something out. Kinda like our deal about killing.” He suggested, bringing their attention back to the problem at hand.

They needed to figure something out if they wanted to continue this relationship and Barry would really like to get this out of the way before things escalated the fun aspect of being with someone.

“What do you suggest?”

“Well, for one I gotta tell Caitlin and Cisco about you. Preferable soon. I kinda left them wondering tonight. They know something is up but they think it’s because you shattered my faith in you or something.” Catching Len’s expression, he hastily added on. “Which you didn’t! Cross my heart.”

“And hope to die?” Len asked. “That’s probably inappropriate for the current situation.”

“Right.” Barry winced. “Sorry.” He slapped Len’s thigh, hoping to lighten the mood. “But, yeah. I have to spill the beans.”

“By all means, spill away.” Len waved his hand nonchalantly.

“You’re okay with that?” Suspicion bled through his tone.

“They are bound to find out soon, might as well get it out of the way.”

“Uh, okay. Well, we’ll hold off telling Joe and Iris until we’re more serious.” He looked at Len, loving the smile the flashed across his face.

“That’s okay, too.”

“Cool.” He nodded, squeezing Len’s leg when he saw the smirk on his face at the unintentional pun. “You got any suggestions?”

“Well,” Len sounded out in a breezy manner. “I was thinking, we could _not_ change.”

Barry’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“We make a similar deal as our other one. Only in this case, we continue being the Flash and Captain Cold. You’ll always attempt to stop my heists with little success and I continue my daily job.”

“You have that little faith in my abilities?”

“No, Red, I have that much faith in my own team.”

Rolling his eyes at the sheer cockiness of Len’s tone, Barry sighed and dropped his head against the couch.

“We’re making progress, Barry.” Len encouraged him, a laugh evident in his voice.

“Yeah, I guess. Okay, so you plan your heists and I continue trying to stop them as thought nothing is happen in our personal life?”

“Exactly. And to make you more comfortable, I’ll make sure my business does not enter this safe house or any other house we might be in together.”

“Oh, thanks.” Barry said sarcastically. “How kind of you.”

“Well, I try.” Len jested back.

Laughing, Barry shot him a look. “And if one of us get injured by the other’s hand?”

The amusement in Len’s eyes vanished. “That won’t happen. My people are under strict orders not to harm the Flash.”

“What about Rory?” Barry questioned, remembering the pyromaniac’s words.

“Mick won’t harm you. Believe it or not, he has calmed down greatly thanks to our time with the Legends.”

Barry’s eyes flickered back and forth, searching Len’s. “Okay.”

A small soft smile fitted itself on the other man’s face, both of them hearing the unspoken sentiment behind Barry’s single word.

“Did we get everything?” Barry asked, racking his mind for other problems that might arise in the future, because there will be problems. He wasn’t naïve to believe that all this will go smoothly. There are many ways this could all blow up in their faces, but somehow, he didn’t care, knowing that when the time came, he and Len would work through it.

“For now.” Fingers ran through his hair behind his head. “We’ll think of more when a problem arises.” Len said, unknowing echoing Barry’s thoughts.

Hearing those words, a wide grin spread across Barry’s and laughter shook his chest, the sound muffled against Len’s lips by Barry surging up to capture them. He ran his tongue over the soft pillows, groaning when Len’s lips parted and his tongue met Barry, wet, hot and teasing.

He shifted around, lowering himself down onto the couch, pulling Len with him, welcoming the reassuring weight of the other man on top of him.

They could talk about other things later like Len suggested. Now though, now Barry wanted to feel the man above him _all over him_. He wrapped his arms around Len and in a blink, flashed them to the bedroom, dropping Len, letting him bounce for a beat before pressing him down onto the mattress, lips moving against each other’s, tongues tangling and stroking.

As articles of clothing were scattered around the floor due to careless tossing, Barry and Len lost themselves in each other, sharing a smile every now and then, their eyes soft when they met and hands gentle and caring as they ran over exposed skin.

“We’ll be okay.” Len whispered to him the in the dead of night.

“I know.”

 

*

 

They grew and they learned from their mistakes.

They stood by each other when Joe and Iris fought against their relationship.

Barry made an effort to form something with Mick Rory and Lisa Snart, finding out the older grizzly looking man enjoyed writing and let him bounce off idea’s with Barry. He was there as a silent companion when Lisa came over one cold rainy night, clearly shaken up but refusing to talk about it, harshly whispering to him in a pleading tone not to wake Lenny up.

Len took what Joe and Iris threw his way and in the end, convinced them he had no intention to hurt Barry. Joe slowly started warming up to Len when Barry ‘accidentally’ revealed why Len occasionally dropped off the face of the Earth. That of course led to their first real fight as a couple that lasted for week.

They teamed up on rare occasions, both to the excitement of Cisco and begrudging acceptance from Joe and Caitlin.

Sara Lance surprisingly made it easier for them when Team Arrow came over for their annual visit (Seriously, it was becoming a thing) and Kara seemed to like Len a lot. Barry had been a jealous mess, frowning whenever he caught the way Len and Sara interacted with one another. Mick made it worse when he gruffly asked if they were fucking again. It was said as a joke and under the assumption that Barry knew about Len and Sara (He didn’t, and it took Sara talking to him to truly convince him that her and Len were done).

Len returned to the Legends for a short while, Mick joining him and opting to stay longer than Len on certain occasions. In fact, he vanished for two years.

Overall, they made it.

And they had fun with. Something no one in either of their teams touched or mentioned. Besides Lisa, of course, she mocked their ‘weird foreplay’ whenever she saw them.

 

*

 

 _“Barry… Cold’s at it again.”_ Cisco sighed in his ear.

“Well, it was bound to happen.” A chilly echoing voice replied and Barry turned in time to see Killer Frost standing beside him, her metallic blue lips pulled him an excited smirk.

“Are you ready for this?” She asked him, no doubt mocking him.

He raced over to the location, turning in time to see Killer Frost surfing across the sky on her ice. Coming to a halt just outside an Art Museum, he waited until she was close by, knowing she’d handle Rory (They had a weird thing going that Caitlin greatly disapproved off, even Mick seemed more interested in her than Killer Frost).

He wasted no time, running inside and stopping a good distance away from Len as always. “That’s priceless, Cold! Drop it!” He called out.

“Let the games begin!” Len proclaimed, his gun sounding as it charged up before letting loose a blast of ice that Barry easy dodged.

“You two are disgusting.” An echoing voice called out following by Mick grunting from an attack.

With a smirk on his lips, Barry fought back and in the end, he won. The painting remained in its rightful place and Len never heard the end of it that night, shaking his head with an amused grin of his own as he laid naked across their bed in their apartment (Technically it was Barry’s and as much as Len liked to deny it, he couldn’t ignore all his personal belongings that filled up Barry’s space).

 

*

 

_I, I, I see how this is gonna go_

_Touch me and you'll never be alone_

_I - Island breeze and lights down low_

_No one has to know_

 

_In the middle of the night, in my dreams_

_You should see the things we do, baby_

_In the middle of the night, in my dreams_

_I know I'm gonna be you, so I take my time_

 

_Baby, let the games begin_

_Are you ready for it?_

**Author's Note:**

> Songs that inspired works: Banks "Waiting Game" and Taylor Swifts "... Ready for it?" (As well as some awesome YouTube ColdFlash vids) 
> 
> Changes:
> 
> 1\. As specified in the tags, Len didn't go after Caitlin and Cisco. I wrote the story with only Caitlin's kidnapping in mind and nothing else and that might or might not have happened (You can chose), so anything that I might have missed, ignore that please.
> 
> 2\. Leonard and Sara's relationship are similar to the one from Legends. Len did start having feeling for her and given he doesn't know how serious Barry is about him, he did start developing feelings for her but nothing ever came of it. 
> 
> 3\. Mick might have a thing for Caitlin, and Killer Frost is not Evil Killer Frost, but the one from Season 4 and 5 of the flash.
> 
>  
> 
> * 
> 
> If there are any questions, please let me know. Thanks for reading.
> 
> SPREAD LOVE AND NOT HATE <3


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